Mahir
[#Visa_Interview_Experience]
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**Visa Type**: F1
**Initial Interview Date**: November 5, 2024
**Later Rescheduled to**: May 7, 2024 | 9:45 AM
> *Initially I got an ER slot on April 7th, but due to personal
reasons I rescheduled again to May 7th.*
**Visa Status**:
* *`Approved`* right after interview
* *`Issued`* on May 9th, 2024
* Received passport collection email from VFS on May 12th.
**Intended University**: University at Buffalo - SUNY
**Intended Program**: Ph.D. in Environmental and Water Resources
Engineering.
**Research Focus**: Sustainable biological processes for water treatment
and resource recovery.
**Session**: Fall 2024
**Funding Details**:
* Full Tuition Scholarship (max 9 credit hours per semester)
* Broad-based Fee Scholarship
* Health Insurance Benefit
* Doctoral Assistantship (RA or TA); no deficit in I-20.
**Documents Carried**: Visa Interview Appointment Confirmation,
Passport(s), I-20, Offer Letter, DS-160 Confirmation, Visa Fee Pay Slip,
SEVIS Fee Pay Slip, NID & Passport photocopies, Photos- 2 copies
(2x2), Certificates and Transcripts, GRE & IELTS TRF.
> *The VO only checked the passport and I-20. Security staffs checked
the **visa interview appointment confirmation, previous passports and
DS-160 confirmation.***
**Reached Embassy**: 9:30 AM (I was panicking the whole way in cng as it
was already getting late, but eventually I got lucky as I did not have
to wait in the queue at all, the security staff asked my appointment
time and told me to wait at the very beginning of the queue.)
**Entered Embassy**: ~09:45 AM
**Interview Started**: around 10:45 AM
**Counter No**: 10 ( Tall Friendly White Guy), he rejected 2/3 people
before me.
**Interview Duration**: ~2 min.
**Conversation with VO**:
*Me: *Good morning, hello.
*VO*: Hello. Pass me your passport and I-20 please.
*Me*: Just the current passport? Or should I pass the old ones too?
*VO*: Just the current one.
*Me*: [Passed]
*VO*: So why do you want to go to the USA?
*Me*: To pursue my PhD in environmental engineering at UB.
*VO*: So why did you choose the state university of new york at Buffalo?
*Me*: Well I chose it because of its collaborative and top-notch
research environment, particularly in my field. Actually, it is
definitely not the only university I applied to, I applied to a couple
of universities this fall and got accepted to a few of them. Among those
universities, UB was my top choice because of its overall world
rankings. Moreover, I have also had a chance to talk to my potential
supervisor at UB, and he seemed like an empathetic and kind person to
work under and our research interests perfectly aligned as well. Also,
as you can see, the funding is generous too, so overall I decided to go
with UB.
*VO*: Yeah, great! So what is your research going to be about? I
understand its environmental engineering, but what aspect of it?
*Me*: I am going to work on developing sustainable biological processes
for water treatment and resource recovery.
*VO*: That's good. So have you travelled internationally before?
*Me*: Yes, I went to X, Y, Z in the last couple of years. I also went to
A & B when I was a kid.
*VO*: So, the purpose of all your visits was only travelling?
*Me*: I went to X, Y, Z for travelling, yes. But as for A & B, I
went there as my parents were pursuing their higher studies in those
countries.
*VO*: Oh okay. So, I'm approving your visa. Congratulations. Be sure to
keep your I-20 with you while you enter the US, you'll need it for your
immigration. Don't keep it in check-in luggage.
*Me*: Sure! Thank you so much! You've made my day.
*VO*: My pleasure, have a safe flight and it's pretty cold in buffalo,
so keep that in mind, take some warm clothes with you (smiling).
*Me*: Thank you so much again officer, have a great day!
**Academic and Professional Background**:
* B.Sc. in Civil Engineering with a Major in Environmental Engineering
from BUET (CGPA- 3.41, passed in 2022)
* GRE - 325 (Quant-166, Verbal-159, AWA-4); I took the long GRE.
* IELTS - 8 ( S-8, L-8, R-8.5, W-7)
* Publication- 3 international conference papers at the time of
application.
* One-year work experience in a multi-national company, around 2 months
work experience as a research assistant in KUET, and a couple of
competition wins during undergrad.
**Universities I applied to for Fall 2024:**
* University at Buffalo- SUNY. Accepted, fully funded PhD ( applied
centrally, prof got interested in my profile and reached out to me, gave
interview, then got offer)
* Case Western Reserve University. Accepted, fully funded PhD ( e-mailed
prof, gave interview, prof encouraged to apply, and then got offer
after applying).
* University of Nevada, Reno. Accepted, fully funded PhD (e-mailed prof,
gave interview, prof encouraged to apply, and then got offer after
applying).
* UMass Amherst. Accepted for MS without funding in Spring 2024,
deferred my admission to fall (applied centrally).
* Texas Tech University. Rejected (applied centrally, a professor
contacted me saying they liked my profile and asked me to contact
faculties of TTU as they can not offer me admission unless I manage a
professor for funding me. I had already accepted the admission from UB
by then, so I politely told him that).
* Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Rejected (applied centrally). .
**My two-cents:
- **Some departments rely solely on central admission process and some
departments don't. Be sure to understand the trend of your department.
**- **Sending bulk emails without customization doesn't do anything. As
tedious as it may feel, if you are sending emails, be sure to customize
them for each prof.
**-** Proofreading and tailoring your SOPs to the programs you are
applying to is crucial. Instead of making your SOP yet another version
of your CV, try to come up with a narrative and tell a comprehensive
story.
**- **If you are planning to apply for next fall or spring, try to keep
regular contact with your recommenders, let them know about your plans
from now and how you are taking prep. Don't just reach out to them at
the very last moment.
Lastly, I am incredibly grateful to this group and to the altruists who
relentlessly help others without expecting anything in return. To be
very honest, if you do your research right, you'll get almost all the
resources from this group, it's such a gem! A big shoutout to the admins
and moderators!